This invention relates to a steam turbine and more particularly to a steam turbine employing an array of particularly-shaped turbine blades mounted in a paddle wheel type configuration about a turbine drive shaft.
Turbine engines are known in the art and provide for the operation of electrical energy or production of mechanical work for transfer to associated apparatus. Steam turbines employ the energy of a flowing fluid stream for conversion into mechanical energy. In operation of turbines it is important that the working fluid flow steadily through the turbine and that the transfer of heat through the turbine housing is negligible. The power developed for unit mass flow of fluid corresponds to the measurable difference of components in a fluid property called specific stagnation enthalpy. This fluid property comprises essentially two parts. Enthalpy is a thermal dynamic property which in steam is a function of pressure and temperature. The second part is the kinetic energy due to motion of the fluid through the turbine. Thus, it can be appreciated that the maintenance of a fluid flow through the turbine is of importance.
Steam turbines are still in various states of evolution. In modern use the density of the steam at turbine entry, especially in multistage turbines, can be significantly greater than that at the exit. To provide responsive blades to such difference and to keep the blade heights of the turbine within practical bounds, it is desirable to divide the fluid flow. Thus, the turbine has been divided into multistage compartments including a high pressure compartment which transmits some of the steam back to the boiler for reheating, an intermediate pressure compartment and, if desired, a low pressure compartment. All compartments have turbine blades therein attached to the turbine shaft. Thus, it is of importance to have an effective blade response to this expanding steam as well as efficient fluid movement from one pressure compartment of the turbine to the other.
Accordingly, I have invented a steam turbine that utilizes a series of particularly-shaped turbine blades forming a paddle wheel turbine blade array about which the turbine shaft which effectively responds to the steam fluid flow. In a multistage turbine I employ means for efficiently transferring the steam from one compartment of the turbine to another to insure a continuous fluid flow. The turbine blades, particularly those in the high-pressure stage, have been reinforced by concentric expansion tubes passing therethrough so as to reinforce the turbine blades during periods of high temperature and fast rotation.
Furthermore, the efficient turbine can be utilized for operation in various power generation systems, one of which is herein enclosed.
Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide an efficient fluid driven turbine capable of effective operation and use.
Another object of this invention is to provide a turbine, as aforesaid, having a plurality of particularly shaped blades mounted about the turbine shaft in a manner to present a paddle wheel configuration to the turbine blade array.
Another object of this invention is to provide a turbine having a paddle wheel turbine blade array interposed in the fluid flow path for an effective paddle wheel response to the expanding pressurized fluid.
A more particular object of this invention is to provide a turbine, as aforesaid, having points of fluid entry and exit in an apex/nadir relationship with said paddle wheel array interposed therebetween.
Still another particular object of this invention is to provide a turbine blade having a normally disposed lip at the free edge thereof to aid in said effective response to and directional control of the pressurized fluid.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a turbine, as aforesaid, of the multistage type having means therein to assure a consistent flow of the working fluid throughout the turbine apparatus.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a power generation system utilizing said turbine, as aforesaid, and designed for efficient small scale operation and use.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.